Gov. Charlie Baker said a complicated international plan to purchase over 1 million N95 masks for Massachusetts health care workers and first responders was hatched after a previous order was confiscated in the Port of New York.
“Around the time that we had our 3 million masks that we had ordered through BJs confiscated in the port of New York, at that point it became pretty clear to us that using what I would describe as sort of a ‘traditional approach to this’ wasn’t going to work,” Baker said Thursday.
The governor did not specify the agency responsible for confiscating the masks.
After losing that initial order, Baker said his administration landed on a cooperative effort involving New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Ambassador Huang Ping, Dr. Jason Li, Gene Hartigan and the state’s COVID-19 Command Center.
The coalition arranged a purchase of the masks in China, which were flown back to Massachusetts Thursday aboard a New England Patriots private plane.
The supplies were then transported by the National Guard to a stockpile in Marlborough.
“Our administration will keep pursuing the PPE necessary to support our brave front-line workers who are working tirelessly to save lives during this pandemic,” Baker said.
Sources:
ABC: 3 million masks ordered by Massachusetts were confiscated in Port of New York, leading to creative alternative
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